BOA AU/Joint

[Anonymous]

Hello all - I have a dilemma.  I'll try to make this quick.

First of all, I have POA for my mother, so all financial decisions are shared (really).  She has a 25k BoA card that she's transferring 2k from (to PIF) to a new 0% int, 0 BT fee card w/ yet another 25k limit.

I asked if I could be put on the old 25k card (from 1993) as either an AU or JOINT.  She said sure.  (WOW!)  After reading thru some posts on this it looks like BoA will pull a hard (most likely EX?) on me for joint, but not for AU. 

Why do I want to do this?  I'd like to see the score boost from having my CLs go from 30k to 55k overnight.  I'm 5+ months out from a new mtg and possibly a refi on my current home to turn it into a rental.  I'm thinking of going AU for now, then in July when one EX inq drops off and another turns 1 year, going for joint -- if I can do a 60 day lock on the mtg financing prior to the hard inq.  This seems like a nice little Fico08 experiment w/o me apping for new credit.  If this works out this will be my 2nd oldest TL and hopefully an 'in' with BoA.

Thoughts, gripes, criticisms, whippings?

(Please advise/move if this belongs somewhere else, thanks)

-Peas

[Anonymous]

Peas, I think it's a great idea! Golly, that will drop your utils bunches, and that's a good thing.

I'd say go for it.

[Anonymous]

Can she add me too?

[haulingthescoreup]

One of the really cool things about adding on to a card that most people don't think about is that you get 0 penalty for newness --no inq, no under 12 months, nothing. Just all of a sudden, poof! there's some serious history on your reports.

I went AU on DH's Discover for this very reason. I got an extremely cool card (Monet's Nymphaea), but I don't think that I've ever actually used the thing. It's his card, and I'm just happy to have the history.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies!

Timothy -- Ummm...  I'll get back to you on that one. 

[Anonymous]

Part 2:

As of Friday I became an official AU on the 25k card.  However, all they wanted was my NAME.  I know these BofA ppl are smart and my name is pretty unique; however, I have a hard time thinking that they'll figure out how to report this on my reports using just my name.  I'm really hoping that b/c I had an open TL w/ them already they were able to confirm me -- somehow.

Any thoughts?

(Oh, ironically there is ONE other person living in the USA who has my name - and she's a teacher, too.  Crazy.)

[Anonymous]

Does you address match the primary cardholder?

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WhirledPeasPlease wrote:

Part 2:

As of Friday I became an official AU on the 25k card.  However, all they wanted was my NAME.  I know these BofA ppl are smart and my name is pretty unique; however, I have a hard time thinking that they'll figure out how to report this on my reports using just my name.  I'm really hoping that b/c I had an open TL w/ them already they were able to confirm me -- somehow.

Any thoughts?

(Oh, ironically there is ONE other person living in the USA who has my name - and she's a teacher, too.  Crazy.)

---

[tonsers]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Part 2:

As of Friday I became an official AU on the 25k card. However, all they wanted was my NAME. I know these BofA ppl are smart and my name is pretty unique; however, I have a hard time thinking that they'll figure out how to report this on my reports using just my name. I'm really hoping that b/c I had an open TL w/ them already they were able to confirm me -- somehow.

Any thoughts?

(Oh, ironically there is ONE other person living in the USA who has my name - and she's a teacher, too. Crazy.)

---

Peas - Last year, my mom added me as an AU to her BofA AmEx because we were going to be going on a vacation together and she wanted me to be able to use the account. All they asked was my name. We are not even at the same address (although her addy is one of my previous addresses). A month later - poof! - it is on my credit report.

I called and asked them to remove it since I hadn't requested the TL - my mom didn't realize that her card would influence my credit. Her card was brand new, so it wasn't doing anything for my average age. They took the TL off as quickly as they added it.

I'd say wait to see if it shows up, and if it doesn't - give them a call.

BTW, I have my checking/saving accounts at BofA, as well of 2 BofA credit cards. My mom also has her accounts and c/c's there. Don't know if that made it easy for them...

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Timothy -- No, but her address is my old address from about 15 years ago.

Tonsers -- Thanks for the input.  I guess they have their ways!  It will be interesting to see if it takes a month.  (Hopefully by then her BT from this card will be complete.)

Thanks Fico Folks!

-P

[Anonymous]

Part 3:

I rec'd the card, called to activate and

a)  told the guy a "friend" of mine got a CLI upon activation so I wanted one and

b) wanted to know how my 'other' BofA TL would report w/ just my name.

He dealt w/ b) first and looked up the account.  It is NOT linked to mine; however, I gave my mom's ssn and he located it and verified that I am an AU listed at her address.  He basically said it means nothing and she could have asked for "Santa Claus" on the account and they would print a card and send it.

With respect to a) he said he couldn't offer me a CLI at this time.  I got the same "we like to see several months of blah, blah, blah", then he started to try to sell me the credit protection.  I said "no", he countered with "how about a trial"?  I said, "how about a CLI"?  Hahaha.

In the end I accomplished nothing, but hopefully gained some wisdom.

-P